Education Perspectives

The Mindset of True Leadership

A quote form Professor Bob Sutton, Stanford University:  "The best test of a person's character is how he or she treats those with less power".   Like Bob Sutton, I love to study how people with power over others act.  It seems that power has a tendency to corrupt.  I believe that being cognizant of that, and keeping your ego in check, is one of the most effective ways to become and remain a true leader.  A true leader facilitates the leadership qualities in the people around him.

Alan Mulally, CEO of Ford Motor Company is a perfect example of an engaged leader.  In an interview with The New Yorker, he said "The most important thing is it has to be safe for each of us to share...as a human being, you're not going to share the way it really is if you are going to catch abuse, be yelled at, or be put down in some way..."  This is not a revelation, yet it seems that sometimes people in power forget the importance of empathy.

Alan Mulally is a true leader, and Ford is on its way to becoming number 1 in the auto industry.  Ford reflects a new and different corporate culture.  And Alan knows the power of human capital, and that is the biggest asset on Ford's Balance Sheet.

The most influential developers of
human capital are teachers! 

The Power of Pull

I just finished reading an interesting book; “The Power of Pull, How Small Moves, Smartly Made, Can Set Big Things in Motion”, by John Hagel III, John Seely Brown and Lang Davison.  As I’ve said, we are in a world of reset, and things will never be the same again. 

This book begins on the premise that the world is changing, becoming more complex and is decidedly unpredictable.  It delves into these changes from the perspective of the individual, the institution and the world at large:

• More dependence on knowledge flows – less dependence on knowledge stocks
• More collaboration – less (or at least different) competition
• A leveraged approach vs. a straight-line approach
• More open organizations – less hierarchical organizations
• Independent thinking
• The leveraging power of social networks

Former President Bill Clinton sums it up; “The Power of Pull examines the how question – how can we effectively address our most pressing challenges in a rapidly changing and independent world?  In the Power of pull, (the authors) highlight fascinating new ways in which passionate thinking, creative solutions, and committed action can – and will – make it possible for us to seize opportunities and remain in step with change.”

This book is deep, but definitely worth reading!  Stop for a moment and think about the implications these perspectives have with relation to our school system(s).

Classroom Leadership

I just watched a wonderful TED Talk by Italy Talgam.  A former conductor, Mr. Talgam has reinvented himself as a conductor of people in business. 

While viewing it, I began thinking about the ultimate facilitators and leaders of the world, teachers!  With good leadership skills, teachers can become masters of what I call "discover-ology"; they let students find learing from within.  How much better is that than teachers who try only to impart information.  I call them "lecture-ologists". 

I've often witness "discover-ology" in a math class where I work.  The teacher inspires learning.

This talk is indeed inspiring as well.  Mr. Talgam's metaphor is indeed fitting.

Facts are Stubborn Things

I place a great deal of importance on one word; credibility.  Because when you think about it, almost everything we do in our business, educational and personal lives revolve around seeking and attaining interpersonal credibility.  Credibility is important to people, whether they are choosing a physician or choosing a spouse.  And it is essential for positive change, from the negotiating table to the supper table; from the board room to the classroom! I believe credibility is the equilibrium in all human relationships.

John Adams hit upon the foundation of credibility when he said; “Facts are stubborn things; and whatever may be our wishes, our inclinations, or the dictates of our passions, they cannot alter the state of facts and evidence”. 

In our media-driven society, people attempt to skew facts and evidence.  And sometimes, even when the facts and evidence are clear, interpretations involve our wishes, inclinations and passions.  Either way, the truth can become elusive.  Based on my experience, here is a quick-list of credibility items I’ve learned the hard way;

• Keep digging until the facts and evidence are as clear as possible. There are no short-cuts.
• Once you have a clear view of the facts, accept them as unchangeable reality! In plain language, don’t bullshit yourself.
• Do your best to represent the situation clearly to others without sugar-coat. In plain language, don’t bullshit others.
• Above all, when people who lack credibility try to manipulate you, don’t retaliate in-kind. When you do that, your credibility also becomes suspect and very little can be accomplished. An Eye-for-an-Eye mentality rarely bears fruit!

These may seem simple, yet the difficult part comes not in the idea, but in the action.  Credibility also involves “kaizen”, or continuous improvement.  Like many things in life, it is more about the process than the goal.  It is a process I’m learning through experience.

Facts are indeed stubborn things!

The "Golden" Trait of Real Leaders

Schools, like any organization, need leaders to make them viable in this changing world.  Leadership is hard to define; it is a set of personal qualities that that facilitates others to lead.  One personal quality, however, stands out for me.  And I am fortunate enough to live with that quality each day.  It is the personal quality of being "genuine".  And my wife is the most genuine person I know!

Genuine is a quality that can't be taught in any MBA program, it can only be instilled.  My wife is completely genuine and has instilled that quality in our children by example.  I've been a beneficiary of that as well.  She doesn't have a degree, rather has gained wisdom and insight from her experience.  Her genuine nature is contagious.

I believe inspiring leaders all posses this quality.  Genuine leaders know their limitations, have control of their egos, understand what inspires others, and lead by example.  Genuine leaders are rarely the most noticed people in a room.  Yet people generally seem to seek out.

I recently saw a video of an interview with Ford's CEO, Alan Mulally.  He isn't bombastic and seemingly doesn't fit the stereotype of an American CEO.  But he comes across as completely genuine!  He seems to understand how to make others around him become leaders, and does it in a quiet unassuming way.  There is a modicum of humility, yet his mastery of the work comes through. 

We all posses the ability to lead; finding our genuine self is the beginning of finding our leadership potential.  "Genuine" has taken me time to learn, and I have my wife to thank for it. 

Do you know any such people?  What have you learned from them?  Think about the best teachers you have encountered.  I will place bets that you learned more from their genuine quality than you did from their knowledge of subject matter.  Leaders inspire learning!